Posted!

Join the Conversation

Comments

Welcome to our new and improved comments, which are for subscribers only.
This is a test to see whether we can improve the experience for you.
You do not need a Facebook profile to participate.

You will need to register before adding a comment.
Typed comments will be lost if you are not logged in.

Please be polite.
It's OK to disagree with someone's ideas, but personal attacks, insults, threats, hate speech, advocating violence and other violations can result in a ban.
If you see comments in violation of our community guidelines, please report them.

Facebook threats draw guilty verdict

Samuel Bradbury was found guilty Thursday of violating federal law by stating in a Facebook post last year that he intended to kill four public officials and destroy public property, including the Tippecanoe County Courthouse.

The post — which his parents, friends and attorneys defended as satire — articulated plans to "purge the vile pig scum from this land and restore constitutional rights to the people."

Bradbury, 23, of Pine Village had initially been indicted on one federal charge: willfully making a threat to use fire or explosives.

A second charge was added in May, alleging that he "maliciously conveyed false information" concerning an attempt to carry out an attack with fire or explosives.

Prosecutors were ordered last month to consolidate the two charges into a single count, which they could prove in either of the two ways.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Koster said the latter set of allegations — that Bradbury "maliciously conveyed false information" — was the only box checked on the jury's special verdict form.

"We will continue to investigate and where appropriate bring federal charges against those individuals who utilized social media for illegal purposes," said David Capp, who is the U.S. attorney for the northern district of Indiana.

The offense carries a maximum penalty of 10 years.

Koster said closing arguments concluded about 4 p.m. Central Daylight Time, with the jury beginning deliberations about 5:30 p.m.

The verdict was announced about four hours later.

In the interim, Stan and Linda Bradbury, the defendant's parents, were anxiously awaiting the verdict from a parking lot outside the federal courthouse in Hammond.

Linda Bradbury said she was on the prosecution's witness list but was never called to testify, so she wasn't allowed to step foot into the courtroom until after both sides had finished presenting evidence.

"The only thing I saw was closing arguments," she said, noting that the conclusion of his trial was the first time in a year that she'd seen her son in person.

The jail where he's been awaiting trial, she explained, only permits visitation via phone or computer monitor.